Method for assembling a complete module of multideck ship hull

ABSTRACT

The method for assembling a complete module of a multideck ship in the assembly location an upper deck section, then lifting it to a height exceeding the height of a first &#39;tween deck, whereupon the &#39;tween deck is introduced under the upper deck section and they are joined together. 
     This done, the assembled portion is again lifted to a height exceeding the height of a second &#39;tween deck, the second &#39;tween deck is introduced under the assembled portion of the module and joined thereto. Following the indicated procedure the remaining &#39;tween deck sections are installed and joined in succession to the already assembled portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to shipbuilding and more particularly to methodsfor assembling complete modules of multideck ship hulls.

A complete module is a rigid structure assembled from sections ofbottom, 'tween decks, upper deck and sides. The breadth of a completemodule is equal to that of the ship hull, the height thereof is equal tothe hull height, whereas the length of the module depends on thelongitudinal division of the ship hull into modules.

The complete modules are then assembled into a middle body of amultideck ship.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

At the present time known in the art is a method for assembling a moduleof a multideck ship from sections and blocks, disclosed in Japanese Pat.No. 52-49633, according to which a module is assembled in the followingsequence.

First, bottom sections are delivered to the assembly location.

Then, starboard and port sections are installed in succession on bothsides and joined to the bottom sections. After which fully outfitted'tween deck sections are mounted beginning with the last one, andfinally an upper deck section is installed.

All the section erection operations are accomplished with the use ofcranes.

The sections are joined together with the use of any known techniqueproviding a permanent connection, for example welding.

However, such methods for assembling a complete module with the use oftraditional cranes suffer from a poor mechanization of hull assemblyoperations and require much time for constructing a module as theassembly and outfitting operations should be fulfilled simultaneously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is essentially aimed at providing a method forassembling a complete module which by virtue of changing the sequence ofproduction operations would make it possible to separate the operationspertaining to the outfitting of sections of decks, bottom and sides fromthe operations pertaining to the assembly of a complete module, therebyreducing the time required for construction of a complete module.

This aim is attained by a method for assembling a complete module of amultideck ship, comprising sections of bottom, 'tween decks, upper deckand sides, whereby the sections are installed in the assembly locationand joined together. According to the invention, first the upper decksection is installed in the module assembly location, the it is liftedto a height exceeding the height of the first 'tween deck section, saidfirst 'tween deck section is introduced under the upper deck section andthey are joined together. After this the assembled portion of thecomplete module is lifted to a height exceeding the height of the second'tween deck, said second tween deck is introduced under the assembledportion of the module and joined thereto. Then following the indicatedprocedure the remaining 'tween deck sections are installed and joined tothe already assembled portion of the module.

This makes it possible to carry out an overall mechanization of assemblyof the complete modules and to markedly increase the degree offunctional outfitting of hull structures (decks, bottom and sides), aswell as to transfer the majority of outfitting work from the assemblylocation to specialized production bays, thereby separating the hullassembly work from the outfitting work.

It is expedient after assembling all the deck sections to first installa bottom section and join it to the assembled portion of the module;after which to install side sections and join them to the assembledportion of the module, making up a complete module of a multideck shiphull.

This makes it possible to separate the assembly of the module middleportion involving labour-consuming outfitting work from the work forassembly of side sections of an intricate configuration with thesubsequent connection thereof into the complete module. Such sequence ofassembly is the most expedient from the standpoint of production processconsidering the adopted scheme of cutting-out the shell plating of theships featuring intricate hull lines.

Upon assembling all the deck sections it is possible first to installsections of both sides, join them to the assembled portion of the moduleand then to install a bottom section and also join it to the assembledportion of the module, making up in such a way a complete module of amultideck ship hull.

This method is technologically expedient for assembling complete modulesof the hull portion which accommodates an engine room, as it becomespossible to separate the most part of the mechanical and erection workcarried out on the bottom section from the assembly of the remainingportion of the complete module, which requires comparatively smallamount of labour and to provide maximum convinience possible for joiningthe bottom section with the engine room equipment already installedtherein to the assembled portion of the module.

In assembly of said side sections it is possible first to install oneside section and join it to the assembled portion of the module and thento turn the assembled portion about the vertical axis of symmetry,install the other side section and join it to the previously assembledportion of the module, thereby making up a complete module of amultideck ship hull.

This allows floor-mounted construction work units to be used forassembling complete modules, which ensure the high level of themechanization of hull construction work.

It is possible previously to join the respective portions of both theside sections to every deck.

This is technologically expedient when assembling complete modules ofthe ships having uniform lines over a considerable length of theparallel middle body with the seams substantially parallel to the baseline.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate the sequence of operations when assembling anupper deck and 'tween decks, according to the invention;

FIGS. 4 to 7 illustrate the sequence of operations when assemblingsections of bottom and sides in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate the sequence of operations when assemblingsections of bottom and sides in accordance with another embodiment ofthe invention;

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the sequence of installing side sections,according to the invention; and

FIG. 13 illustrates the sequence of operations when joining portions ofsides to a deck in accordance with still another embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A complete module of a multideck ship hull to be assembled comprisessections of an upper deck 1 (FIG. 7), sections of 'tween decks 2 and 3,bottom 4 and sections of a starboard side 5 and port side 6. The numberof 'tween decks may be different and depends on the design of the shiphull to be assembled.

To make the understanding simpler, taken here is a module of a hull of amultideck ship having only two 'tween decks 2 and 3.

Prior to delivering the individual sections to the assembly location thesections of all the decks 1, 2 and 3, the bottom 4 and the sides 5 and 6are outfitted as completely as possible, i.e., they already mountbulkheads, enclosures, machinery and equipment foundations, and theequipment proper unitized to the utmost.

A claimed method for assembling a complete module of a ship hullconsists in the following.

First the upper deck section 1 (FIG. 1) is delivered to the assemblylocation with the help of ground-type transport, such as haulingcarriages 7, or any other means, and installed there. Upon delivery theupper deck section 1 is lifted (FIG. 1) to a height exceeding the heightof the first 'tween deck section 2 with the equipment installed thereon.For lifting the upper deck section 1 use may be made of any prior arttechnique, in particular of traditional cranes.

After this the first 'tween deck section 2 (FIG. 2) is delivered to theassembly location and installed under the upper deck section 1, which islowered down, brought in proper registry with the 'tween deck section 2and welded thereto. Then, the assembled portion of the module (FIG. 3)is lifted to a height exceeding the height of the second 'tween decksection 3 with the equipment mounted thereon, the second 'tween decksection 3 is supplied to the assembly location, the assembled portion ofthe module is lowered to be brought in proper registry with the 'tweendeck section 3 and welded therewith. The other 'tween decks, if any, areinstalled and assembled in a similar way.

The assembly of all the 'tween decks over, the assembled portion of themodule comprising sections 1, 2 and 3 is lifted to a height exceedingthe height of the bottom section 4 (FIG. 4) and the bottom section 4 issupplied to the assembly location to be installed under the assembledportion of the module. Then the assembled portion of the module islowered, brought in proper registry with the bottom section 4 and weldedtherewith. After this a side section, for example the starboard sidesection 5 (FIG. 5), is delivered to the welding location and welded withthe assembled portion of the module. Then the other side section, theport side section 6. (FIG. 6), is supplied to the assembly location andwelded with the assembled portion of the module to make up the completemodule of a multideck ship hull (FIG. 7). For bringing the sections 5and 6 in registry with the assembled portion of the module it ispossible to use any prior art technique, including the cranes.

According to another embodiment of the invention the upper deck section1, 'tween deck sections 2 and 3 are supplied in succession to theassembly location, after which the side sections 5 and 6 are deliveredand finally the bottom section 4.

The sections 1 to 3 are assembled as described above (FIGS. 1 to 3).Upon assembly of the sections 1 to 3, first the section of one side, forexample the starboard section 5 (FIG. 8), and then of the other side,viz., the port side section 6 (FIG. 9), are joined to the already formedportion of the module. Joining of the sections 5 and 6 to the assembledportion of the module in this case may also be accomplished in any knownway and in particular with the use of cranes. After assembling thesections 1 to 3, 5 and 6 the assembled portion of the module in anyknown way is lifted to a height exceeding the height of the bottomsection 4 (FIG. 10) having mounted thereon equipment including mainengines. The bottom section 4 is positioned under the assembled portionof the module, the assembled portion is lowered, brought in properregistry with the bottom section 4 and welded therewith, thereby makingup the complete module of a multideck ship hull (FIG. 7).

The installation of the side sections 5 and 6 in either of the twoembodiments of the invention may also be performed in the followingmanner.

After a side section, for example the starboard side section 5 (FIG.11), has been installed and welded to the assembled portion of themodule, the formed portion of the module is turned about the verticalaxis of symmetry in the any known way, for example with the use of aturntable (not shown in drawing). The other side section, viz., portside section 6 (FIG. 12), is delivered to the assembly location andwelded to the assembled portion of the module, thereby making up thecomplete module (FIG. 7). The installation of the sections 5 and 6 inthese cases may also be performed in any known way, in particular withthe help of a crane.

In accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, respectiveportions of the starboard side section 5 and port side section 6 (FIG.13) may previously be joined to the upper deck section 1 and 'tween decksections 2 and 3, thereby making up three-dimensional deck sections 1, 2and 3.

After this the three-dimensional deck section 1 and 'tween deck sections2 and 3 are supplied in succession to the assembly location followed bythe bottom section 4. The sections 1 to 4 are assembled as describedabove (FIGS. 1 to 4) to make up the complete module of a multideck shiphull (FIG. 7).

It follows from the foregoing that the described sequence of productionoperations, pertaining to the assembly of the decks of the completemodule of a multideck ship, enables one after the final assembly of allthe decks either to install the bottom section and then the sidesections or first to install the side sections and then the bottomsection. Besides, it is possible to install the deck sections withportions of the side sections, thereby making up the decks and bothsides simultaneously.

The advantages of the proposed method for assembling complete modulesreside in curtailment of the time normally required for the building ofmodules by virtue of separation of the hull construction work andoutfitting work which allows the latter to be done at specializedstations with using the deck structures as assembly floors. In addition,the method according to the invention allows an overall mechanization ofthe process of delivery and installation of the hull structural elementsbased on the use of the ground-type hull construction work units.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The claimed method for assembling a module of a ship hull may be used toadvantage in assembling multideck ships of various applications.

I claim:
 1. A method of assembling a complete module of a multideck shiphull, comprising sections of bottom, 'tween decks, upper deck and sidesinstalled in the assembly location and joined together, wherein themethod comprises the steps of installing in the assembly location theupper deck section; lifting the upper deck section to a height exceedingthe height of a first 'tween deck; introducing the first 'tween deckunder the upper deck section and joining it thereto, thereby creating anassembled portion of said complete module; for each remaining 'tweendeck lifting the assembled portion of the complete module to a heightexceeding the height of a next 'tween deck, introducing the 'tween deckunder the assembled portion of the module and joining it thereto; afterinstalling said upper and 'tween decks introducing and joining saidbottom and side sections to said assembled portion to finish saidcomplete module.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in joiningthe bottom and side sections first the bottom section is installed, andjoined to the assembled portion of the module, then the side sectionsare installed and also joined to the assembled portion of the module,thereby making up the complete module of a multideck ship hull.
 3. Amethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein in joining the bottom and sidesections, first the side sections are installed and joined to theassembled portion of the module, whereupon the bottom section isinstalled and joined to the assembled portion of the module, therebymaking up the complete module of a multideck ship hull.
 4. A method asclaimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein in assembling the side sections, afirst side section is installed and joined to the assembled portion ofthe module, then the assembled portion of the module is turned about thevertical axis of symmetry, a second side section is installed and joinedto the already assembled portion of the module, thereby making up thecomplete module of a multideck ship hull.
 5. A method of assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein respective portions of both side sectionsare previously joined to each of the upper and 'tween decks.